Washing machine



Aug.22, 1939. WfwRUSSELL Y 2,170,096

WASHING MACHINE Filed Oct. 15, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 947W/ @fg Aug.22,193.9. I ww RUSSELL 2,170,096

- l WASHING MACHINE I N l Filed oct. 15., 1936 2 sheets-sheet 2 ZZ `I Patented Aug. 22,.'.1939

UNITE-D STATI-:s

PATENT OFFICE l WASHING William W. Russell, Brookline, Maso.`

` 'Application October 15, 1936, Serial No..105,690

' 1 Claim. (ci. iss-484) This invention relates to washing machines. -One of the objects of this invention isjto Provide a washing machine having no moving parts within the washing receptacle to damage the goods 5 being -washed. l

' Another object of thisy invention is to provide a washing machine4 so constructed that the use of a relatively small amount of power will be sumcient to adequately agitate a-nd wash the clothes. l 'Still another objectof my invention is to provide a washing machine in which the .clothes are agitated and washed by the-movementof the water alone and soconstructed that the clothes will continue in rotation without the formation of i 15 dead spots.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view similarto Fig. 3

showingV diagrammatically the general character of the movement of the water and contents;

Fig. shows the receptacle provided with a 3o cover.

Heretofore it has been attempted to construct. a washing machine which will operate without 'the need of any oscillating `or rotating varies or other members within the receptacle of the ma- 3,', chine. One of the reasons for` constructing a machine of this character is to prevent damage to fabrics which is often`caused in those machines having' moving members within the receptacle.

In all of the prior art, however, as far as I am '4u aware, washing machines which have been operated by means .of a streamof water discharged int'o the receptacle have failed in operation because of the failure of the clothes and the water 'Ato lkeep moving continuously.' v*This has been'due 4;, either to the particular shape of the receptacle,

thep'osition of the inlet, or the position of the outlet with -respect to the inlet. i, A

In the case; where washing machines having cylindrical receptacles` have been used.. as shown,

5U forexample, in the patent toI Lombard, No. 944,-'

'136, therotation and Washing have been hindered ,because 'of the excessive friction of` the clothes i 'with the 'square ends of the receptacle coupled with theinabilltyof the clothes to shift position 5;, so that all parts may be engaged by the jets. In

the case of those washing machines of the type having a container in which'the bottom portion was hemispherical, as shown, for example, in the patent to Lombard No. 1,411,286, the rotation of the clothes and water has been impeded, and, 5 in many cases prevented by the clothesl tending to collect in the dead 'spots that inevitably form at the top 'of the water in this type of receptacle.

In the caselof the cylindrical or hemispherical receptacle used by the prior art it will also be .10 found that the water has been introduced into the receptacle through nozzles lprojecting into the receptacle. Nozzles so positioned engage ,the clothes during the latters movement thereby making damage to the clothes possible.

Referring now to Fig. l it will be seen that my washing machine consists in'general of a spherical receptacle 2 with an opening 3- at the top carried by any suitable supporting frame which ini this case comprises legs 4 connected with base 6. 20

The opening '3 must be small enough so that the receptacle. remains substantially spherical.

Positioned on base 6 ls an electric motor 8 which, by means o'f shaft I0, drives the centrifugal pump l2.

'On the lower part of\receptacle 2 is a chamber I4 connected with the interior of the receptacle by the perforations I6 shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

v An Aoutlet I8 extends from chamber I4 to the centrifugal pump I2. From the discharge' side of 80 the-pump I2 extends the pipe 20 which terminatesat the ventrance port 22 in receptacle 2 as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Port 22, it will be observed, is flush with the inside of my spherical receptacle.'

It will be noted that port 22 is positioned some- $6 `what above the middle of the receptacle and the angle o! pipe 20 with relation to port 22 is Isuch that water enteringrecepta'cle 2 from-pipe 20 does not enter tangentially but' rather in a more inwardly direction. The waterA enters in the plane 40 of a great circle of the sphere,` preferably, but at the angle of a chord which would subtend an angle in the neighborhood of to 90 degrees. The

I reason for this will appear hereafter. As can be seen from Fig. 2 water entering the receptacle 45 from pipe 20 will travel in a vertical plane b ut at the anglegenerally shown by the arrows 2l in Fig. 4,.

Associatedvwith the outlet Il is a drain cock 26. Th /f/ope'ration of my washing machine is as 50 follows. The receptacle 2 isfilied until the com'- bmation of matrm to be' washed and the water rises approximately to the line 28 shown in Fig. 4.

It is essential that the receptacle be substantially full in order that proper rotation of the water.

clothes are to be washed there must still be Vflakes to emulsify the dirt and clothes will be secured. That vis to say, the total mass within the receptacle must be practically a complete' sphere. The machine will not operate if it is only partially filled.

In the event that only a small amount of enough Water added to bring the level to the line 28 to round out the sphere. On the other hand if a large quantity of clothes are to be washed, the clothes may be inserted rst until they comfortably ll the receptacleI and then water is added until it reachesK the level of line 28. However, the order of introducing the clothes and water is immaterial so long as the final level of the -contents results in-a substantially spherical mass. f

A suitable amount of soap powder or soap in the'clothes is introduced as well. At this point the machine'is ready to be started. l

Motor 8 is turned on to cause the operation ,of pump I2. 'I'he water in the receptacle 2 is sucked downwardly through the perforation I6 to chamber I4 through pipe I8 into the pump and discharged from the pump through pipe 20 passing therebyto the entrance port 22. The water enters the receptacle through port 22 in the direction of arrows 2 4 shown in Fig. 4 and at a considerable velocity. The velocity of the water coupled with the direction at which it is introvduced into the receptacle causes the entire mass of Water and clothes to start to revolve. After a few seconds the rate of rotation reaches a maximum and continues thereafter as long as the pump I2 remains in operation. f It will be apparent that the water is continuously circulated from the receptacle 2 throughl the perforations I 6 to the tank I4, thence to the pump I2 and back into the receptacle through pipe 2D and port 22. The axis of rotation of the mass of Water and clothes will be; in the case shown, a' line extending through the centre of the receptacle and vertical to the plane in which the water is introduced through pipe 20. Thus,

in this case, the axis of rotation will be the horizontal line A-A extending through the centre of the receptacle asin Fig. 2.

'I'he plane in which the water.' is introduced may be varied from the vertical if desired but I have found that rotation of the mass is facilitated if the arrangement is as shown. 'I'he angle at which the stream is directed through the wall of the receptacle as indicated by arrows 24 in Fig. 4 may be varied within reasonable limits but if the water enters at an angle closely approximating the tangential, rotation of the mass is hampered as the water does not suiciently impinge on the clothes thereby diminishing the rotative effect. On the other hand if the entering stream is directed too much toward the centre of the re. ceptacle the effective lever arm is reduced so that again the rotative effect. is greatly diminished.

A major distinguishing feature of my washingl machine over the prior art is the spherical receptacle which causes all parts ofthe moving mass to continually change direction`thus producing` true rotation. At the same time, since the re-4 ceptacle is a. sphere, the mass of clothes while rotating on the horizontal. axis isjcontinuall-y shifting its plane of rotation a trliie one v way or the other as the water impinges on dierent poitions of the clothes as they move by. In this way, in the course of the time required for proper washing, the clothes entirely shift their position within the receptacle s o that all portions at one lbrought into contact with the impinglng stream so that the clothes are thoroughly washed.

Likewise all of the clothes indue course pass by the perforations' I6. As the water issucked through these perforations it is also drawn through the clothes adjacent thereto so that excellent cleansing is secured.

Due to the fact that the rotating mass is substantially a sphere the water and clothes during their movement may rise above the opening 3 of the receptacle tovfollow the course indicated by the arrow 32. Due to the surface tension of the water coupled with the speed at whlchthe mass rotates the water does not voverflow at the opening but instead continues on its course as indicated to stay within the receptacle. 0f course there is some slight splashing and if this is found objectionable a cover 34 may be positioned on' the machine during operation. It will be noted, however, that the cover is of the same curvature as axis of rotation. This promotes smoth and continuous actionv as no portion of the clothes or water departs from its regular course. The ability to keep all portions moving ata uniform speed and in a circular course is one of the marked advantages of my machine over the art. An examination of all of the earlier machines in which the clothes were moved by the impact of a stream of. water shows clearly that' the path of movement of the entire mass of water and clothes was not symmetrical with respect to any selected axis of rotation.

Because the opening to my receptacle 2 is small the clothes and water constitute substantially a sphere and as soon as rotation begins the sphere is completed by the mass rising above the opening as indicatedby` arrow 32.

While the foregoing is a description and explanation of a preferred form of my invention I wish it tobe distinctly understood that I do not intend to be limitedthereby but only by the appended claim.

vrelatively large area, a single inlet flush with the 30 the rotation staying a constant distance from the inner side of saidreceptacle and directed at said outlet but remote therefrom, a conduit including a pump connecting said outlet and inlet to'circulate water in' said receptacle, said receptacle adapted to' hold. textiles, that may bexplaced in said receptacle, in unobstructed ball-like form while said textiles are rotating within said receptacle by said circulating water, the area covered by said outlet holes being suiliciently great so that all of the textileson which incoming water iinplnges will pass thereover immediately thereafter whereby.a quick reversal of water travel through said textiles may be secured.

WILLIAM w. RUSSELL. 

